Google Pixel and Pixel XL 2

It probably wouldn't have gotten such negative attention on the display issues of the Pixel 2 XL.
 
Finally got my Pixel 2 XL (Ordered a second one and it came in 2 days!).

Screen bothers me more than I thought it would, but hoping the update can put some color into it. Blue shift is certainly noticeable and I do often have my phone on my desk and look at it from an angle. Unless you looking at it dead on you will get blue shift. However the performance is amazing and it has many pluses as well, and they have 2 year warranty!

Compared to the Nexus 6p.
Screen:
- Nexus 6P screen feels like it has a bit more width, colors are much better on the 6P too.
- Screen turns up much brighter on the Pixel 2 XL and it's easier to view outside with sunglasses.
- Always on display on 2XL is nice.
- Curved glass is really really stupid. I hate it. I cannot use a screen protector. My screen will become super scratched in a short period of time :( I wonder if I should buy the protection plan...
Audio:
- Stereo Speakers sound noticeably better on the Nexus 6P, the Pixel 2 speakers sound tinny and less warm.
- Not having a headphone jack sucks. I'm here at work and cannot charge my phone while listening to music. I cannot tether my laptop via USB while listening to music either :( This is a bit more frustrating than I had anticipated.
- Blue tooth headphones are on the way, ordered some AIAIAI months ago, but they ran into some production issues.

Everything else is better on the pixel 2 xl. I do not think the phone is $850 better than the nexus 6p though.

Wifi calling works but constantly cuts out. This is my number two reason for buying this phone (No reception at work) so that is a huge disappointment. Texting works though so at least I can do that now. Actually now the phone will not let me make a wifi call a second time. Keeps telling me to connect to a wifi network (I am still connected to one!). uggg must be some kinda bug.

Oh and GREAT picture Kyle! Certainly impressive in those conditions. I did hear the microphone isn't great...

More stuff:
I like the texture of the phone, feels durable to me, not cheap. I don't like colored aluminum as it gets pitted and scratched easily. Mine lives in a case anyways...
Caseology [Legion Series]
The case is ok, actually, it's better than I thought It would be but the edges are a bit sharp, I like rounded edges so I may change the case out later, when supcase becomes available.

Power cord:

WTF google! the 6p cord was already short, the new cord is unacceptably short, for $1000 you could have thrown in at least another foot of cord length. This is completely unacceptable IMO and I have not seen this mentioned in other reviews! Box Did not include a USB-C to regular USB cable. I love the short cables that came with my Nexus 6P, and with each replacement device (I have 3 of them heh).

Headphone adapter:
feels cheap, very thin gauge wire. Should have included more than one or at least made them available for a more reasonable price. Should have included an adapter that allows charge/tether while listening to headphone. It sucks not being able to tether at work and listen to music.
 
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Justintoxicated said:
Finally got my Pixel 2 XL (Ordered a second one and it came in 2 days!).

Screen bothers me more than I thought it would, but hoping the update can put some color into it. Blue shift is certainly noticeable and I do often have my phone on my desk and look at it from an angle. Unless you looking at it dead on you will get blue shift. However the performance is amazing and it has many pluses as well, and they have 2 year warranty!

Compared to the Nexus 6p.
Screen:
- Nexus 6P screen feels like it has a bit more width, colors are much better on the 6P too.
- Screen turns up much brighter on the Pixel 2 XL and it's easier to view outside with sunglasses.
- Always on display on 2XL is nice.
- Curved glass is really really stupid. I hate it. I cannot use a screen protector. My screen will become super scratched in a short period of time :( I wonder if I should buy the protection plan...
Audio:
- Stereo Speakers sound noticeably better on the Nexus 6P, the Pixel 2 speakers sound tinny and less warm.
- Not having a headphone jack sucks. I'm here at work and cannot charge my phone while listening to music. I cannot tether my laptop via USB while listening to music either :( This is a bit more frustrating than I had anticipated.
- Blue tooth headphones are on the way, ordered some AIAIAI months ago, but they ran into some production issues.

Everything else is better on the pixel 2 xl. I do not think the phone is $850 better than the nexus 6p though.

Wifi calling works but constantly cuts out. This is my number two reason for buying this phone (No reception at work) so that is a huge disappointment. Texting works though so at least I can do that now. Actually now the phone will not let me make a wifi call a second time. Keeps telling me to connect to a wifi network (I am still connected to one!). uggg must be some kinda bug.

Oh and GREAT picture Kyle! Certainly impressive in those conditions. I did hear the microphone isn't great...
Click to expand...

In your WiFi calling setting does it say "Mobile Preferred" or "WiFi Preferred"?

On the original Pixel XL it was hard coded to Mobile Preferred. So, if you had even the slightest hint of a mobile signal it would go back to the mobile network, even during a call. There is a way to change it to WiFi Preferred, and that has fixed my WiFi Calling issues 100%.

https://www.xda-developers.com/enable-preferred-wifi-calling-option-verizon-pixel-pixel-xl/
 
I have to say this, but I know most of the people here just won't agree with this statement. But the Pixel 2 XL should be called the Nexus 8P and sold for $599.

I won't go into a long rant here, but the Nexus line was flagship spec'd for it's day, but maybe didn't have the best display or the best camera, but everything else always matched spec for spec compared to the highest end Samsung Galaxy phone or newest HTC flagship for that year. But Google sold them at an affordable cheaper price range.

The Nexus 6P for it's day selling brand new for $499 was a super bargain deal, when the brand new Galaxy Note 5 was $700+, and spec for spec they were damn similar. And the 6P was very well built, high end feel and flagship hardware, and had a Samsung display and great camera.

But then Google changes the name to Pixel, and BAM the price shoots up, but the Pixel is still a Nexus. It's not as high end as the Note 8, and I find the new HTC U11+ a better phone, with the larger battery, and IP68 rating, etc...
 
Riccochet said:
In your WiFi calling setting does it say "Mobile Preferred" or "WiFi Preferred"?

On the original Pixel XL it was hard coded to Mobile Preferred. So, if you had even the slightest hint of a mobile signal it would go back to the mobile network, even during a call. There is a way to change it to WiFi Preferred, and that has fixed my WiFi Calling issues 100%.

https://www.xda-developers.com/enable-preferred-wifi-calling-option-verizon-pixel-pixel-xl/
Click to expand...

Thanks I'll give that a shot and report back later. My Nexus 6P had 0 signal, although maybe once every couple weeks I would get a text msg.
 
That HTC U11/Muskie is exactly what I wanted originally...well, minus HTC's "Sense" (or whatever they call it now) launcher.
Hopefully the Pixel 3 is along those lines.
 
Domingo said:
That HTC U11/Muskie is exactly what I wanted originally...well, minus HTC's "Sense" (or whatever they call it now) launcher.
Hopefully the Pixel 3 is along those lines.
Click to expand...

And the LCD display... The Pixel 2 screen isn't bad enough to go back to LCD for me. Actually the Nexus 6P in sRGB mode looks about the same as pixel 2 XL in terms of color, so I do have some hope that it will be fixable via software updates :)
 
Justintoxicated said:
And the LCD display... The Pixel 2 screen isn't bad enough to go back to LCD for me. Actually the Nexus 6P in sRGB mode looks about the same as pixel 2 XL in terms of color, so I do have some hope that it will be fixable via software updates :)
Click to expand...

My Moto X Pure was an LCD and I'd take that screen over any of the Pixel screens or my wife's LG G6. Hell, I just wish Moto would make an updated (and lighter-weight) X Pure that would get timely updates.
 
Just for the record, not that it matters: I still own and still use a Samsung Galaxy S Captivate, the first Galaxy S model and there were multiple variants of the device for each carrier, the Captivate is the AT&T model and it's pictured here and it was released 7 full years ago in July 2010:



It has a 4.0" inch SuperAMOLED panel in it, the first one ever made, by Samsung of course, 800x480 pixel resolution, and I took a look at it just now and guess what: there's a bluish tint when it's viewed off-angle. This is not the only SuperAMOLED panel device I've ever owned (multiple Galaxy devices have had SuperAMOLED), and certainly not the only AMOLED either, or OLED (my wife currently has an LG G Flex 2 with a P-OLED display), and I can also report that every one of them I've ever owned has a slightly bluish tint if I view the display from an angle other than perpendicular to it.

Never been an issue for me personally, still trying to figure out why it's such a major issue for others but I guess it comes down to people just being different all around.
 
Domingo said:
My Moto X Pure was an LCD and I'd take that screen over any of the Pixel screens or my wife's LG G6. Hell, I just wish Moto would make an updated (and lighter-weight) X Pure that would get timely updates.
Click to expand...
I'm not against LCD's but you're not going to have a very efficient always on display with them. Battery consumption isn't a plus for LCD displays.

As far as the pixel 2 XL's color shift my nexus 6P is also AMOLED, as well as other phones I have owned, and does change some when viewed at an angle. But it's nowhere near as severe as the pixel 2's display. A white screen viewed even a few degrees off angle will color-shift on the Pixel 2 XL. It's not a deal breaker for me, but I can certainly see a crazy shift at even a 5 deg shift, and I can understand why people would have returned it due to this problem. For me the software and updates are what makes Google phones what they are, I will deal with the screen... I have a feeling the price is going to have to drop shortly though so I probably could have saved some serious cash if I waited.

I used to love Moto phones, they had good quality hardware. But Verizon ruined them for me with their locked bootloaders and drove me nuts having to hack them to bits to get rid of the bloat. Swore them off since there were other options for non-locked bootloader phones, and then moved from these to the 6P :)

Isn't moto dead now though? Owned my Lenovo? They will ruin moto like they did the ThinkPad.
 
Tiberian said:
Just for the record, not that it matters: I still own and still use a Samsung Galaxy S Captivate, the first Galaxy S model and there were multiple variants of the device for each carrier, the Captivate is the AT&T model and it's pictured here and it was released 7 full years ago in July 2010:



It has a 4.0" inch SuperAMOLED panel in it, the first one ever made, by Samsung of course, 800x480 pixel resolution, and I took a look at it just now and guess what: there's a bluish tint when it's viewed off-angle. This is not the only SuperAMOLED panel device I've ever owned (multiple Galaxy devices have had SuperAMOLED), and certainly not the only AMOLED either, or OLED (my wife currently has an LG G Flex 2 with a P-OLED display), and I can also report that every one of them I've ever owned has a slightly bluish tint if I view the display from an angle other than perpendicular to it.

Never been an issue for me personally, still trying to figure out why it's such a major issue for others but I guess it comes down to people just being different all around.
Click to expand...

The first Galaxy S for Sprint was the Epic 4G. I still have it. It's running Cyanogen 4.4. Thing still runs perfect. I keep it in my truck for Torque Pro app use.
 
So my power bank was able to charge the pixel 2 XL at 3.44 amps. But when I use a Qualcomm quick charge power supply I'm only getting 1.5 amps... Pixel2 XL does not support qualcomm quick charge? I read somewhere that it would, but I guess I should have bought a different Charging Hub :( I mean it will still charge just dissapointed I don't have any quickcharge devices to use this with heh.
 
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3.4 amps seems awfully high to me, that's some pretty serious current draw for such a device as a smartphone. What quick charging does more than anything else in increase the voltage to charge the cell faster not necessarily push the amperage to such high degrees which would cause the cell to heat up considerably. I would say take a look at the factory Pixel 2 XL charger that came with the device, note the specs on it, and if it shows the highest voltage (usually 9VDC but it could potentially show 12VDC) but the amperage is limited to maybe 2.0 to 2.6 amps you might consider that the power bank is having some issues, or perhaps even the smartphone itself since voltage is pushed and amperage is pulled meaning the smartphone is actually requesting 3.4 amps from the power supply.

Based on a quick search just now it appears the stock charger is capable of 27 watts which would actually work out to roughly ~3 amps but Google chose to limit the charging amperage even in spite of the charger they're supplying being capable of doing it - they must have a pretty good reason for doing that so again consider that power bank might simply not be honoring the charging limitations or something funky is going on in the charging circuit.

Either way, all I can say is damn, 3.4 amps going into a smartphone battery at any given moment, that can't actually be a good thing. :(
 
Tiberian said:
3.4 amps seems awfully high to me, that's some pretty serious current draw for such a device as a smartphone. What quick charging does more than anything else in increase the voltage to charge the cell faster not necessarily push the amperage to such high degrees which would cause the cell to heat up considerably. I would say take a look at the factory Pixel 2 XL charger that came with the device, note the specs on it, and if it shows the highest voltage (usually 9VDC but it could potentially show 12VDC) but the amperage is limited to maybe 2.0 to 2.6 amps you might consider that the power bank is having some issues, or perhaps even the smartphone itself since voltage is pushed and amperage is pulled meaning the smartphone is actually requesting 3.4 amps from the power supply.

Based on a quick search just now it appears the stock charger is capable of 27 watts which would actually work out to roughly ~3 amps but Google chose to limit the charging amperage even in spite of the charger they're supplying being capable of doing it - they must have a pretty good reason for doing that so again consider that power bank might simply not be honoring the charging limitations or something funky is going on in the charging circuit.

Either way, all I can say is damn, 3.4 amps going into a smartphone battery at any given moment, that can't actually be a good thing. :(
Click to expand...

The stock charger is actually 18W, P=IV so 18/5.2v (roughly) = 3.4 amps (to the battery). I'll see if I can measure what the 18W charger does but I would imagine it will be about the same. My Power bank can deliver up to 40W so it should max out the phone. With USB-C you can plug the phone into a 27watt charger but it's only going to charge at it's maximum so no faster than an 18watt charger. This is pretty much what google promised, a very fast charging battery. 3.4amps seems high for a lithium battery but there are new designs that allow this to be ok.

*Note I don't know what voltage the battery is actually seeing but 3.4 amps might not be crazy at all.
 
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Tiberian said:
Just for the record, not that it matters: I still own and still use a Samsung Galaxy S Captivate, the first Galaxy S model and there were multiple variants of the device for each carrier, the Captivate is the AT&T model and it's pictured here and it was released 7 full years ago in July 2010:



It has a 4.0" inch SuperAMOLED panel in it, the first one ever made, by Samsung of course, 800x480 pixel resolution, and I took a look at it just now and guess what: there's a bluish tint when it's viewed off-angle. This is not the only SuperAMOLED panel device I've ever owned (multiple Galaxy devices have had SuperAMOLED), and certainly not the only AMOLED either, or OLED (my wife currently has an LG G Flex 2 with a P-OLED display), and I can also report that every one of them I've ever owned has a slightly bluish tint if I view the display from an angle other than perpendicular to it.

Never been an issue for me personally, still trying to figure out why it's such a major issue for others but I guess it comes down to people just being different all around.
Click to expand...

I have Pixel 1, and there is NO tint shift all.

The fact that it burn in a week is even crazier for a expensive phone.

I would take HTC's LCD any day to avoid all these shit since I do keep phone for more than a year and often used for app testing which required almost all day screen on time.
 
shansoft said:
I have Pixel 1, and there is NO tint shift all.

The fact that it burn in a week is even crazier for a expensive phone.

I would take HTC's LCD any day to avoid all these shit since I do keep phone for more than a year and often used for app testing which required almost all day screen on time.
Click to expand...
Well they did make it a 2 year warranty. So if you get burn in, trade it in for a new one?
 
Justintoxicated said:
Isn't moto dead now though? Owned my Lenovo? They will ruin moto like they did the ThinkPad.
Click to expand...

They're well on their way. The newer phones aren't anywhere near as good as the ones from 2-3 years ago, although they are still packing them with a VERY lean Android install and good battery life. The caveat is that their support is awful. Software updates are rare if ever. Their policy on everything is silence.
If Google's hardware division sunk, they'd still be in my top 2-3 OEM choices just because of their mostly vanilla version of Android.
 
"others teetering on the edge of a witch-hunt" sounds about right. I bet you can find a dozen people complaining about Bluetooth acting weird (especially in vehicles) with every phone in the last 5 years.
No issues here, and I've paired my Pixel 2 with 2 sets of headphones, 2 cars, my AV receiver, and a pair of cheap-o desktop speakers that I keep at work.
 
All the bad press on the 2 XL is pretty crazy, whereas the HTC made Pixel 2 is getting rave reviews, besides the large iPhone sized bezels still. Really is too bad the HTC U11+ wasn't the Pixel 2 XL instead of LG's version, but too late now. Can't cry over spilled milk.

As far as Google dropping the price on the Pixel 2 XL eventually, like they have on Nexus phone before. No way, because last years Pixel's never saw a price drop, Google is too stubborn to do that, and is pushing this Apple like pricing structure on the Pixel line, no matter what. Even though the Pixel 2 XL is really a Nexus 8P and should be selling at like $599, Google will never do that out of spite, and wants the public thinking higher price = higher end.
 
I like my Pixel 2 XL. I also came from a Nexus 6P. I am on Verizon

My biggest issues on my Nexus 6P was the Snapdragon 810 (the heat), and lack of Wi-Fi calling.

The Snapdragon 835 is night and day difference in terms of running cooler. I also work in a building surrounded by bricks, and I refused to spend my own money on a plug in cellular extender. Wi-Fi calling is working incredible.

The Blue Tint, I got used to. It's not horrible.

I was unimpressed by the dual speakers. I also thought my Nexus 6P's was better.

My only issue now is Android Auto not working correctly. I have submitted bug logs to Google. Hopefully this will be fixed soon!
 
mls1995 said:
Screen burn in might not be covered

https://www.cnet.com/news/google-pixel-2-xl-warranty-screen/
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Google replaced my Nexus 6P just because a crease in the case formed near one of the buttons. I'm not too worried about them covering burn-in at least not burn in that matters. My Hauwei watch had burned in and huawei replaced it and their support is not nearly as good as googles. If Google wants to compete with apple their support has to be good too.

Still loving my Pixel 2 XL the screen is much brighter than the nexus 6P. Despite the screen I still feel it is the best phone out right now. At least for my use case.
 
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This is a Pixel devices thread, isn't that an iPhone X? At first I thought it was someone showing their Pixel device asking if iPhone owners have the problem but the specific question is "Does anyone else have this problem on their iPhone?" so that leads me to believe the device pictured IS an iPhone X so... maybe this was posted in the wrong thread? :)
 
radeon962 said:
The hits keep on piling up for the XL. I wonder who was in charge of quality control. Google or LG?

Google Preferred Care might be a wise buy if you are going to hold onto the XL for the long term.

Some Google Pixel 2 XL Oleophobic Coatings are already wearing off, leaving behind smudges

https://9to5google.com/2017/11/07/google-pixel-2-xl-oleophobic-coating/
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No issues here yet on that. This is likely the first phone I will not put a screen protector on because the screen is so friggin' awesome and stays so damn clean.

Edit: And yeah, I did buy the extra insurance. Every time I don't I get screwed, every time I do, I get screwed, so it is without a doubt my phone will be perfect for 2 years and 1 day.
 
The trick with insurance is that you either always get it or never get it. Trying to half-way it or trying to guess when you need it will almost always be a losing proposition over time.
 
ChronoReverse said:
The trick with insurance is that you either always get it or never get it. Trying to half-way it or trying to guess when you need it will almost always be a losing proposition over time.
Click to expand...
I don't see a way to add it on the google store. Guess I'll have to go without.
 
ChronoReverse said:
The trick with insurance is that you either always get it or never get it. Trying to half-way it or trying to guess when you need it will almost always be a losing proposition over time.
Click to expand...
I have plans to get really drunk and throw mine at a brick wall night. ;) It is gonna ring, I will answer it and scream, "Goddammit Mom, I told you to never use that tone with me!" and let it fly. ;)
 
Justintoxicated said:
I'm in chat now, they are telling me to send the phone back, then re-order it. Maybe I should close the chat and re-open it a few times until I get a more sensable person?
Click to expand...
Hell, order the new one, send the old one back. See what the return timeframe is.
 
Justintoxicated said:
I'm in chat now, they are telling me to send the phone back, then re-order it. Maybe I should close the chat and re-open it a few times until I get a more sensable person?
Click to expand...
That's probably your only option at this point. Order the new one with insurance. Use your current one until the new phone arrives.
 
I returned my Pixel XL 2 and they were pretty good about the whole process. I think I had the money back on my credit card within a week of shipping it. No restock fee or anything like that.
 
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